John's Shadow
by Mourne
Summary: John blames the disappearance of his only sister on himself, but was that night all that it seemed?
1. Chapter 1

_The night was a welcome cool from the smouldering heat of the day. The sky was a cloudless ink black, speckled with millions of twinkling stars. This was John Tracy's favourite kind of night._

_He eased his bedroom window open, conscious of his brothers' soft snores from the neighbouring rooms. He himself should have been asleep hours ago but perfect nights like this didn't come often enough for him to let this one pass without taking advantage. With one leg out the window he breathed deep, the stars had never looked so close, if he could only reach out far enough he could take one in his fist so that its light would shine through his fingers. Lifting his other foot to bring it to the window it connected with a baseball, sending it banging to the ground. He swore quietly to himself. Why did he have to be so lanky? He strained his ears to try to determine if he was caught. The snores continued._

_With both feet safely out he lowered himself onto the grass below, a breeze blew through him sending shivers down his spine. He looked up again. Wow. There was only one place to go in his mind. The cliff top, where the stars looked so close you felt like you could scatter them with your finger tips. Eagerness overcame him and he started to jog in the cliff's direction. _

_The sea roared beneath him as he started the steep climb to the top of the cliff. He felt giddy with excitement, he should have bought his telescope, he should have done some research he should have..._

_"Johnny?"_

_He whirled around and couldn't stop himself from smiling. His youngest sibling and only sister was barefoot, in her pyjamas and staring up at him with big adoring, sky blue eyes that mirrored his. How the hell did she get out here? Oh yeah, he didn't close the window. Damn. _

_"Johnny, why you out here all on your own?"_

_"I could ask the same about you, Valentina."_

_Valentina. Such a big name for such a tiny little girl. Jeff and Lucille Tracy had named all their sons after astronauts and their daughter was no exception. Although since she made her first steps, the family had taken to calling her "Shadow." Anywhere John went, little worshipping footsteps padded in his wake. They were inseparable. Her escape out his window should have been expected really._

_"Come on Tina let's get you back to bed" _

_"Will you go to bed too?"_

_"Of course"_

_"Big liar"_

_John snorted. 4 years old and couldn't be fooled apparently. He watched her stifle a yawn and widen her sleepy eyes._

_"I promise I'm not tired"_

_Should he take her back? That risked wakening his mother and father who wouldn't be pleased at his nightly escapade. Plus he'd never shown Tina the stars._

_"Fine Shadow you can tag along as usual," he teased._

_Hoisting her up unto his shoulders, he completed the steep climb to the top of the cliff. As they made their way through a thick growth of trees, she sang a hushed little song to herself._

_"I've got peace like a river, I've got peace like a river, I've got peace like a river in my soul..."_

_It was her song that their mom had taught her to sing when she was scared or upset._

_"What's the matter, missy? Everything ok?"_

_Her grip tightened around his head._

_"Who was that, Johnny?"_

_He span around. Shadows danced in the breeze all around them._

_"Nobody there, sweetheart. It's just shadows like you," he laughed although the breeze blew colder, sending a sick feeling to his stomach._

_She didn't seem convinced as she laid her head on his with her dark curly hair covering his eyes. _

_"Don't worry I'm here, I'll always be with you, won't I?"_

_He felt her nod against his head._

_They reached the cliff top just as John was convinced his shoulders were going to collapse. He set his sister down and lay flat on his back, motioning for her to do the same. She wriggled around until her head was nestled in the crook of his arm. The stars looked like they were putting on a show for just the two of them, John looked down to see Tina's eyes widen in wonder as she took in the spectacle._

_"John, it's so beautiful."_

_He smiled. He remembered the night his father took him to see the stars, he knew Tina would remember this night for the rest of her life and he felt honoured to have shared it with her. He pointed up._

_"Do you see Orian?"_

_"Who?"_

_"Do you see the three stars in a row? That's his belt and the three stars above them are his head and shoulders."_

_"How'd he get up there?"_

_John hadn't thought about that. _

_"I think you're going to live in the sky someday, Johnny" she giggled "and I'll come too and we can keep Orian company."_

_That was John's big dream. To float above the earth among the stars like the researchers in their space stations. He sighed, even with his dad's billions he couldn't imagine that ever coming true._

_He heard a crack behind him. Tina tensed, eyes big and fearful. John scanned around, nothing there again, just palm trees and boulders._

_"There's nothing there, I swear." He said it just as much for himself as for his sister._

_She nodded again, she had always trusted what he said. They turned their eyes back to the stars, two pairs of identical sky blue eyes both marvelling at what humanity had marvelled at since the beginning. She yawned, not able to conceal her sleepiness anymore._

_"I love you, Johnny"_

_He felt his heart ache. Even though her every movement had always shown it, she'd never put it so simply before._

_"Well you know I love you too, kid"_

_The breeze brought a new smell, wafting among the sea spray. It was sweet, sickly sweet. It became less like a waft and more like a cloud, filling his lungs and head and arms and making him feel so dizzy, so awfully dizzy and heavy like his limbs were made of lead and even though he tried to sit up, do anything, his eyelids were pulling themselves down down down..._

_"JOHNNY!"_

_He sat bolt upright, the feeling had gone and so had Tina. Pricks of ice cold ran down his body as his mind went still. _

_Tina. _

_The cliff. _

_His long limbs felt like putty as he pulled himself to the edge. The sea dashed on the cragged rocks, unmerciful and much too strong for his Tina to fight. His head was filled with noise. Wild and pitiful, it sounded like a wild animal in pain. With his fingers covering his face he realised it was coming from himself. Panic ran through his body freezing his joints and all he could do was curl up by the cliff edge and wail, unbidden images of his Tina falling over the edge, hands flailing out to his sleeping body..._

_"Johnny! What the hell's going on here we couldn't find you or.."_

_Jeff saw his son's face, pale white and frenzied in the moonlight, one hand clutching the edge of the cliff and all Jeff could do was stare._

_"Tina" John's whisper could hardly be heard over the sea, crashing and crashing and endless crashing on the rocks below. He couldn't meet his father's horrified stare, he wished he would say something, anything, how were they going to tell mom..._

_"Dad..I.. she.."_

_The slap stung across his face before he even saw it coming._

John woke, soaked in sweat, his throat raw from screaming, her name echoed around Thunderbird 5 and he was so alone. He tried a few deep breaths but it didn't stop him shaking. The nightmare wouldn't ever end. 12 years ago,his only sister had followed him to her death and it was his fault.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been 2 weeks since Jeff had last seen his daughter. It had all went by in a blur, tears, shouting, disbelief...

He rubbed a hand across his face. The coffee beside him was ice cold. How long had he been at his desk? He looked out through the window, the sun was coming up and was sending splinters of light to stab through the trees. All night apparently. He blinked, his eyes dry from staring. He had bought this beautiful island in order to keep his family safe. He remembered back to when he had brought them over, Scott's homesickness melting away, Gordon's face when he saw the pool, Tina was hardly walking...

Oh Tina.

Jeff fought the urge to cry out. The very thought of her tightened the clench around his heart that threatened to make him implode. Her little face had been his first thought in the mornings and it was all he could see when he closed his eyes. He had been avoiding sleep like the plague. He would give anything to see her again, his house, the island, his fortune, anything just to hear her laughing. He had discovered that there were some things that money just couldn't buy.

"Knock knock,"said a gentle voice from the door, "are you planning to move anytime from that seat or will we have to chisel you off?"

It was Lucille. Her soft smile shone with courage but the dark circles under her eyes betrayed the anguish that she felt as strongly as his. She glided over to the desk, always so elegant and poised, and placed her hand on his. Her smile faded, God only knew the acts of strength she had put on for their sons. A surge of guilt hit Jeff, he hadn't been much help or support.

He gave her hand a squeeze, their eyes falling simultaneously on the picture beside them. It was a family photo at the beach. The boys disheveled and laughing like usual, peeping out from behind a leg was Tina, a sun hat perched on her mop of dark curls and grinning shyly at the camera.

Jeff sighed, "she was our baby, huh Luce?"

"She still is, Jeff"

He squeezed his eyes tight shut,"Listen, honey" he began gently, "I know, it's so hard but-"

"I know she's still alive," her voice was a whisper but had no trace of uncertainty. She motioned to her chest, pain etched on her beautiful features, "I think if she was- you know- gone, I think I would feel it, like something was missing from me." Tears welled in her eyes, "Oh Jeff, it's just doesn't feel right."

"We have to face the facts-"

"What facts, Jeff?" Her outburst startled him. All softness gone. She was usually the calm voice of reason, him the brash, impulsive one. "Our daughter is gone but I know she's not dead! We had boats searching for days with the best equipment and they found nothing! There's no proof! She's a sensible kid for her age, you know that, she would have known better than to launch herself off a cliff!" She stopped suddenly, stunned by her own words and sank into Jeff's arms, defeated.

They were quiet for a moment. A feeling of truth descended on them both. Jeff didn't care to admit it, but that feeling of bereavement hadn't carved a hole in his chest like it should have. He tried to reason with himself. If she didn't fall, then where on earth did she go? Did she sprout wings and fly away? How could she not be dead? The thoughts exhausted his already aching soul, he rested his head on Lucy's shoulder, felt her steady breaths rise and fall and he let his mind drift back...

_She was unearthly, ethereal, like something descended from the heavens. Her long, strong arms held steady above her lovely head with her eyes cast heavenward like she was longing to return. A dozen other girls flitted and glided across the stage but their powdered faces were a frozen beauty. He felt all humiliation of his presence at a ballet dissolve, transfixed, he felt everything she presented in her sweeping movements, her tortured expression melting to bliss at the return of her prince. He saw the story in her dancing, wordless but so obvious. All too soon the curtain fell, applause erupting for the prima ballerina. He reached for the programme, scanning frantically for her name. Lucille..._

"Jeff?"

He landed back to earth. He met her eyes and kissed her cheek. There was so much he had to be thankful for.

"Sorry, I zoned out for a minute," pushing a strand of dark hair from her face.

She smiled softly, "so I can see," she looked back to the photo and pointed, "nothing changed there, did it?"

Jeff followed her finger, Valentina was clutching to a long, skinny leg. The owner was grinning sheepishly, his sun bleached hair ruffled with the wind. John and his shadow.

"I need you to do me a favour" she said,

"Yes?" He tensed inwardly, this couldn't be enjoyable.

"Will you talk to John for me?" Her face creased with worry "I've tried my best but he hasn't left his room since-it happened."

Jeff winced, the eerie look on his son's face on the clifftop had burned in his memory like a brand. Looking so helpless and young yet he was old enough to have known better... So many questions he should have asked, and just as an answer was forming on John's lips he had slapped it away. Jeff felt his face burn with regret, everything his own father had taught him had been disregarded in that second of frenzy.

Lucille shook her head, "I just don't understand it, it's just not like John. He was always fussing over her from the second she was born, do you remember?" She shook with a laugh, love shining through her features, "that time when Scott burnt his toast and the alarm went off, John had Tina up and out of her crib before we all had time to move!" Sadness settled over her again,"he can't talk about it, I don't think he can understand it himself. I'm not even sure if he even saw what happened."

"And you want me to talk to him?"

She nodded

"Listen honey, I don't know if I'm best-"

"Are you angry with John?"

Was he? Jeff wasn't sure. He wanted answers but any chance of them had been thrown away with his one senseless action. She sighed at his silence and pulled herself up.

"You're going to make a very isolated young man out of him. Please talk to him, before it's too late."

"What do you mean by that?"

She made her way to the door, sounds of squabbling calling her. "We called Valentina his shadow, remember? That was a bond even we couldn't understand. It won't have broken easy."

He leaned back and marvelled at his wife, "How do you stay so strong, Luce?"

She considered, "We have 5 sons with us now, who are as deserving of our love right now, as Tina is deserving of our remembrance."

X

Jeff woke gasping, he reached out for Lucy. Nothing but cold sheets. His throat tightened, that conversation had haunted him for twelve years. He never did talk to John about that night. His son had become a creature of isolation, up in the stars just as Lucy had predicted. He closed his eyes. His Lucille was dead, the hope she held of Tina returning alive had long since died with her.

X

_"You did what I asked?"_

_"To the letter"_

_"You were undetected?"_

_"Sure"_

_"Completely?"_

_There was an uncomfortable shifting._

_"Look boss, it couldn't have gone any better. It was like they had planned it all for us!" The henchmen insisted._

_"Guess it was our lucky stars eh?" His partner sniggered._

_"Focus please, gentlemen. Talk me through exactly what occurred."_

_"Well, we were waiting to break in, just like you told us," one began " we had the tools all ready and just before we got working, one of the older boys climbed out his window. Dunno what one. Looked about 15, blondey, real clever lookin'. You know, last time I saw somebody like that-"_

_His boss' hand slammed to the desk, making them both jolt._

_"Oh yeah yeah sorry boss. Well anyway, we near hit the roof, we didn't even have to break in!"_

_"And that ain't even the best bit!" His partner added, "the little brat followed him on out!"_

_"Yeah that's right, all we had to do was follow them up this massive bloody cliff! It was perfect! We gassed the boy, grabbed the brat, and everything else just fell into place! They thought she must have smashed her wretched skull off the rocks, they weren't even suspicious!"_

_"All went perfect really."_

_Their boss sat back in his chair, if these two imbeciles were telling the truth, maybe this time he would finally be successful._

_"Well done gentlemen, I must say I'm impressed."_

_They beamed._

_"Kindly bring her to me."_

_They looked nervously at each other, fingers tracing bite marks and bruises. They knew the Tracys were a tough breed, but never in their lives had they encountered such relentless opposition as with that blasted little witch. Their boss read their hesitance with disdain._

_"Useless fools, must I do everything myself?" He muttered under his breath, stomping over to a large, metal box. He paused over it, a sinister smile growing. The contents were going to make him an extremely rich man._

_He opened the clasp to come face to face to the product of a year's planning, a red faced, scowling Valentina._

_"You send me back right now, I have a mommy and daddy who don't like me getting lost."_

_The Hood raised his eyebrows, kidnapped, in a box, and fearless. He was under no doubt to her parentage._

_"You will go back, Valentina. In a while. Whenever your mommy and daddy send me all the necessary requirements. I'm a needy man you know."_

_He turned back to the henchmen, "you two aren't finished, her final destination is London."_

_"Final? Ain't she going back home when Tracy has sent the money?"_

_"Do you think a man gets anywhere in the world through honesty? This child shall never return, nor will she feel the need to, I have no quarrel with her after all."_

_With that, The Hood turned his powerful eyes to Valentina's, wiping her memory of her last 4 years. Although, there are some minds too strong to be so easily broken._


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you everybody for all the lovely reviews they mean a lot! I have exams coming up and I'm quite busy but I'm going to update as often as I can! Thanks for reading :)**

John checked the radio, then he checked the transmitter, measured the wave frequencies, tested the motors, looked in the fridge and cleared the empty lines for the eighth time that day. He put on his suit and checked the outside of Thunderbird 5. He checked so thoroughly he found nooks and crannies he didn't know existed so he checked out those too.

He made his fourth cup of coffee and looked at his watch.

2.34pm

He grimaced. He was running out of increasingly pointless things to do. Every year for 12 years he had went through this ritual on the 23rd of July. It was the one day he just had to get through, then he could breathe easy for the rest of the year.

The day he had let Tina go.

In that split second of idleness his whole body began to shake, images and sounds stabbing their way through his mind. Tina falling, screaming, her tiny head about to hit the rocks...

No no no no. John leapt from his seat and started to jump up and down, shaking his head violently in an attempt to clear his head. He stopped suddenly, everything spinning and Thunderbird 5 slightly rocking beneath him with the force of his jumps. He gave a dark laugh, no wonder his brothers said he was going crazy up here.

He let himself gaze over at the photograph taped to the wall. In it, was all 6 of the Tracy siblings. He smiled wistfully, his mom must have taken it, it had captured them all so well. Scott was looking so serious, frowning fussily over at Gordon who had his eyes turned in to look at his nose and his mouth pulled down with his fingers. Always a showman. Alan was held in a firm grip on Scott's lap and was giggling half at the camera and half at Gordon. Virgil hadn't even noticed the photo was being taken and was tracing something in the sand where they sat, a look of contentment on his face. Right at the edge of the little huddle, was himself and Tina. John was supporting her, she had just learned to stand and she had his head resting on his shoulder, the same half smile quirking their faces.

John didn't even notice he was sobbing until tears began to blur his vision. This was the one day of the year he let himself cry. He leant against the wall and slid down it, covering his head with his arms. Every year he was offered the chance to come home, to have company. Every year he wanted to say yes but he always refused. He couldn't bear the sad, questioning looks, no matter how well intentioned. It was one day of the year and he liked to manage through it himself. The truth was, that Tina hadn't been immortalised to him as a four year old like in her photographs. Sometimes, he felt like he could see her beside him, only she wasn't a child, she was the young woman she would have been. Tall, strong and so smart. Her presence had never quite left him, he could sometimes hear her chattering, although he couldn't make out what she was saying. When he looked at the stars, he could nearly feel her beside him, naming each one like old friends...

The 23rd of July was the one day her presence left him. When reality sank in.

He calmed down slowly, breathing deeply and humming that old song Tina used to sing. "I've got peace like a river, I've got peace..."

He hoisted himself up and strained his eyes out the window. He used to love the night as a kid, he loved the way it went cool and dark and the stars sharpened into focus. Up on Thunderbird 5, it was night 24/7 and that was just the way he liked it. Space and the stars were forever changing, every time he looked out, he spotted something he hadn't seen before. What did get to him though, was the seclusion. Even though he was markedly the quietest, going from the company of 4 brothers to nothing but the stars was a big jump. It had been welcome at first, the sight of the cliff and the imagined accusing stares were still too much to bear. As time had went on, he started to yearn for a bit of noise.

He checked the lines again, still clear. What were his brothers doing now? Only one way to find out. He always tried to call at least once every two nights, but he just needed a bit of cheering up right at that moment.

The ring tone cut through the silence of the space station, John could only hope somebody at home would hear it over whatever shenanigans were occurring. It stopped, and a round beaming face appeared on John's screen, shovelling various confectionery into his mouth.

"Hi, Gordon!"

Hi John! You're calling early today! Hey look everybody! ET's phoned home!"

Virgil's head appeared from the edge of the screen. Placid and artistic, John knew that he was sometimes envious of the peace of Thunderbird 5.

"How are you feeling, John?"

Straight down to business. Virgil's grey eyes were full of concern and John remembered why he never went home at that time of year. He loved his brothers and he was under no doubt that they loved him, but between Virgil and Scott, the love and concern could be smothering.

"I'm just as good as ever, Virge, don't you worry."

Virgil nodded, not quite believing, "I don't know how you stay sane up there all by yourself."

"Well Virgil, maybe you should buy him a pet, a goldfish maybe to stave off the loneliness."

John chortled. Gordon and Alan cared too, but they took a different approach.

"I don't know how I stay sane sometimes." Virgil muttered. He went to sit on his piano stool just as Alan arrived, taking a fistful of candy from Gordon. John swore his little brother was getting more like a man every time he saw him.

"Wow Gords, there really is life in space!" He teased gleefully. The Terrible Two, the fun had begun now.

Gordon deepened his voice in his best nature show impression, "and here we see a wild John in his natural habitat, up in space where he lives in total seclusion. Not much is known to science about this strange and rare breed, apart from his one weakness which is his colossal fear of women-"

"Well Gordon you can't talk about that after what happened on the mainland last week," Virgil interjected. Gordon's face went red as a beetroot, glaring sulkily at Alan who was sniggering.

John grinned, "oh please tell, I need a laugh!"

"Well John," Alan yelled over Gordon's protests, "Gordon had a date on the mainland and the girl ran off while he was up getting drinks!"

Oh poor Gordon, but knowing him he wouldn't be long affected.

Gordon flicked his hair and flexed his muscles in mock vanity, "she obviously doesn't know what she's missing!"

"Well she obviously does, that's why she made her escape, the clever girl!"

"Oooh well listen here to Virgil the love expert!" Gordon's face suddenly changed, a slow smirk spreading across his features. This was going to be entertaining.

"John, you just won't believe what Gordon and I overheard the other night," he cast a sly smile over to Virgil who was looking suitably suspicious.

Alan's eyes lit up, "oh yes I remember, it was most enlightening."

"I'm on my edge of my seat here guys!" Whatever this was, John knew it had been saved for a moment like this.

"Alan and I were minding our own business-"

"Not likely." Virgil grumbled.

"Kindly don't interrupt! Well, Alan and I heard a very interesting conversation between our dear brother Virgil and a certain English aristocrat!"

Virgil's head snapped up, "don't you dare, you little-"

It was too late, raising their voices to a squeaky pitch they recreated the conversation in the exaggerated melodramatic way that little brothers are experts at.

"Oooooh Penelope when will you be visiting again?"

"Oooooh Virgil, very soon I hope! You should come and visit me in by gigantic, massive English mansion with more rooms than I've been in!"

"Ooooh Penelope I would just luuuuuurve that! Fly away with me into the sunset in my huge green rocket ship and-"

Virgil came down on Gordon like a tonne of bricks. The camera fell down too, giving John, whose sides were splitting with laughter an excellent view of their feet as Gordon tried fruitlessly to defend himself from the thumps that John could hear above Alan's cackling.

Once Gordon had been beaten into still giggling submission, the camera was replaced to show a scowling Virgil glaring at Alan who always seemed to get off lighter than his brother.

Something suddenly occurred to John. "Where's Scott?"

His brothers cast a sheepish look to each other. Alan was the first to speak.

"He's coming up to bring you home."

"Oh no he's not." They knew what day it was.

"Oh yes he is!" Gordon looked sympathetic, "dad's orders."

John winced, the last person he needed to see today was his father. His dad had never said, but John knew he had always blamed him for Tina falling, and John understood.

"I know you want to stay up there, John," Virgil said kindly, "but hiding yourself away isn't helping anybody, especially not you."

John sighed. There was no point arguing, he could see Thunderbird 3 approaching. "Right, you all win, I'll get my bag packed." A thought suddenly occurred to him, "Alan, should you not be with Scott?"

Gordon grinned, "Alan, why don't you tell him who your replacement is?"

"Tin-Tin"

If John wasn't already dreading leaving his beloved Thunderbird 5, he was now. Tin-Tin was clever no doubt, she was one of the finest engineers in the world. What John did worry about was that she had a way of finding everything "so exciting" that left him in fear of having no space station to return to. Her first and last stay had him examining the whole craft to find the "slight change" she had made, only to find she had rearranged most of the inside workings of the entire station. Quite impressive really.

The sliding doors hissed open and Tin-Tin bounced in, her face alight with joy. "Oh John, this is so exciting!" She stood on her tip toes to kiss him on both cheeks, "now you enjoy your holiday, and I will take good care of Thunderbird 5."

His stomach churned, "thanks Tin-Tin I appreciate it, I've checked everything and there's no need for anything to be-"

"Yes, yes, John I understand! It will all be fine don't worry. Ah, I have so many ideas to try!"

With a polite smile hiding a grimace, he rushed out before he could have the chance to change his mind. Climbing into 3, he heard laughing, he looked up to see his older brother grinning.

"She won't blow the place up, John. You can unclench your teeth."

"You don't like anyone else in 1."

"True, true. But you'd need your own clone to do things the way you like them!" He went serious, big brother like, "how are you this year?"

The feeling he had shaken off came back in a wave. He busied himself with the controls, trying not to meet his brother's eyes. "It just never gets any better. I still miss her like she died yesterday."

Scott nodded, his eyes were sad. He'd been close to Tina too, after being told he had a baby brother 4 times, a baby sister was a magical thing.

"There's no time limit, John."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it might be better next year or in twenty years or maybe never, grief just stays as long as it stays. I miss her too."

Tears welled up in John's eyes and when he looked over at Scott, he was struggling too. There they were, two grown men crying in a rocket ship, while their housekeeper's daughter was probably taking their space station apart. Such was life as a Tracy.


	4. Chapter 4

"So she really can't remember anything?"

"Have you seen what his eyes can do to people?" The driver shivered, "it's a wonder her brains aren't pouring out her ears."

"Poor kid, she's only-"

"Poor kid? It'll be poor us if we balls this up."

"I know Ron, but did you hear the way that boy cried for her? Gave me the-"

"Stop right there, Doug." His partner fixed him with a hard stare, "what's lying in the back seat behind us, is our retirement. Don't you dare go soft now. That little menace is going to some warehouse, she'll be somebody else's problem and out of our hair for good. I hope they give that vicious animal what she deserves."

The little girl lay across the back seat of the car, pretending to sleep. She didn't know where she was, who her drivers were or where she was going. Come to think of it, who was she? A thousand answers to a thousand questions swirled foggily around her mind. Anytime she felt close to remembering, when the answer was sharpening into focus, it was whisked away. Only one thought spoke clear in her mind. She had to get away from these men.

"So we're handing her over to the other guys, they'll start sending pictures of her to show they have her, they'll send the dollars and she won't go back?"

"Right." He groaned, they slowed to a halt. Vehicles surrounded them, all stationary. "I hate London."

London? What was that? The girl racked her mind, giving herself a headache in the process. Nothing. She was on the verge of crying with frustration. She knew she knew these things, problem was she didn't know how to know them again. The first thing she could clearly remember was a box lid snapping shut above her, the box being roughly picked up so she tumbled around inside then was thrust ungraciously into the back seat of the car. While there, she had tried to organise things in her mind. First things first she was a girl. A very little girl at that, making it difficult to think so logically. Thirdly, she felt like she should be somewhere else with somebody else. That was as far as she'd got.

"For pete's sake..."

"What's wrong now?"

Car horns blared all around, "Road works. We've to be there by 4, we'll be lucky to make it by 6."

"Ain't that just grand."

"We're going to have to park and walk it, it'll be quicker."

Doug motioned to their passenger, "what about her?"

"Do you think we're the first two men to be walking around with a kid, dozy? We'll pretend she's our daughter."

"Seriously?"

"Look, do you want to retire early or not?"

They parked the car and turned around to face their captive. She kept her eyes closed. Ron picked up a bottle from the floor and poked her with it cautiously. She couldn't pretend anymore. Opening her eyes, she noticed tiny teeth marks on the outstretched hand. She felt a throbbing in her mouth, one of her milk teeth was gone. Suddenly, a memory flashed across her mind, it was on a rocking vessel, a boat? She remembered sinking her teeth into flesh, the cry and curses that followed. Why would she have been in a boat?

"Right - er - sweetheart," one tried, an attempt at a friendly smile made his scars widen, "we're your parents, aren't we?"

Liar. The word flew into her mouth and stopped at her lips, oddly familiar. If they were going to play games, then so could she.

"Ok."

They grinned at each other. "We're just going to go for a nice walk now, leave you at a nice shiny warehouse and Bob's your uncle, how's that sound?"

"Fine."

They couldn't believe their luck. "Told you it'd work," Ron hissed.

With strong grips on both of her wrists, there wasn't a lot a four year old could think of in means of escaping. Within minutes, a deafening roar filled her ears, getting louder and louder as she was escorted along dingy alleys and back streets. Suddenly, turning a corner she was in the midst of the din. Cars whizzed by with their horns blaring while huge red buses hissed and there was people, so many people. Talking into their phones and hailing down Taxis and hurrying along, never looking down to see a little girl whose face betrayed the terror of her situation.

She started to struggle, the endless racket filled her head and was making it hard to think.

"Cut that out." Doug growled.

Panic gripped her as she pulled and withed in their steely grasp. She had to get away, she had to get away...

A hand came down to slap round the back of the head.

_"Don't worry I'm here, I'll always be with you, won't I?"_

She started. A young voice had flashed across her mind, making her feel calm and safe and loved. She stopped struggling, trying to hold onto that feeling for a minute longer. It left a presence with her. Who was that? He sounded so familiar yet he had no face or name, was he an angel?

"Right, that's more like it. Behave yourself and you won't get hurt, understand?" All parental pretences gone. She was a girl with nothing but her four year old wit, strength and a comforting sentence spoken by a faceless voice. She needed a miracle.

They approached a crossing in the road, people boxed them in from all sides making her feel claustrophobic. They were giants, steely faces looking straight ahead and not at the child who was at a loss for ideas.

A hand disappeared from her wrist, she followed its movement ever so slowly delving into an expensive looking coat pocket. The owner was oblivious, texting furiously into his phone. Ron's hand rummaged carefully around the depths of the fabric. An instinct took hold of her, she tapped Ron's leg. He looked down at her, his fingers edging a huge wallet out of the man's pocket, his face paling with a look of pure terror.

"Don't even think about it," he mouthed.

She smiled up at him and yanked the man's coat as hard as she could.

"Oops."

The man turned, saw the offending hand grasping his wallet. His fist connected with Ron's jaw. Doug's hand loosened on her wrist.

A woman screamed, "Officer! Officer! Pickpockets!"

Now was her chance. She twisted out of her captor's grip and darted underneath the legs and briefcases of the swarming crowd. She heard shouts behind her as people were knocked to the ground. She was being pursued by her captors. A whistle was blown, orders to stop were bellowed. Her captors were also being pursued it would seem.

"Catch that kid!" Doug yelled.

A woman's hand came down to grab her arm, then another, she dodged them all. Her short legs felt like they were on fire, her tiny lungs ached but this was no time to slow down. She chanced a look behind her, blood was running from Ron's nose and fury was in their eyes. They were far enough away to lose them. She darted into a dark alley, and straight into a pair of legs.

"What in the name of..."

She made to run past, but for the second time that day, strong hands held her fast.

"Easy, easy darlin', I'm not gonna hurt you."

Tears of frustration ran down her face, they would catch her any minute. She could hear them, they were almost on them.

"Ron I swear I'm gonna murder you if The Hood doesn't get us first."

"I'm gonna skin that little rat alive."

The man stilled, listening. He looked down at her. He understood.

He lifted her off her feet and hastily lowered her into a huge carpet bag and sealed it. She shifted around uncomfortably, she was sitting in a layer of metal tools.

"Quiet kid." The man hissed.

Heavy footsteps pounded into the alley, she trembled in fear as the two thugs snarled with every breath and scanned the ground like animals. The man gave a low whistle.

"What happened you fellas?"

"Mind your own, buster. Did you see a kid running past? About four, dark hair, real vicious?"

The man gave a barking laugh. "Sounds like you have a handful. Sorry mate, haven't seen nothin'"

Ron approached him threateningly, "Really? Because we've been chasing that brat round the city, and last time we saw her she was coming down by you." He eyed the carpet bag. "What are you doing with a bag that size?"

"Well now sir," the man growled, clenching his fists, "now it's your business you need to be minding. Tell me if I'm wrong, but you two tossers don't exactly look like the parental type. I dunno know why you want that kid, but I ain't seen her. I've got my own job to do here if you know what I mean."

Doug grunted, "he ain't seen her, Ron."

Ron smirked, "You better watch yourself."

"Don't worry about me, mate. This is my neck of the woods, it's you two who are gonna get hurt if you hang about too long."

With one last snarl, they headed out and back the way they came, their voices fading.

She sighed. They were gone. The bag popped open above her and she got her first proper look at her rescuer. Scars streaked across his bony face and his nose looked like it had been on the receiving end of a few solid left hooks. His sandy coloured hair had been shorn close to his head and he had half a finger missing. But his eyes were a warm brown and the kindest she'd seen.

"Jeepers sweetheart, don't know what a little thing like you's done to get the likes of those two after you."

Suddenly, it had all got a bit too much for a four year old to handle. She burst into tears, relief and uncertainty flooding her in equal measures.

"No, no don't cry, don't cry." He awkwardly hoisted her out of the bag,set her down and patted her on the head a few times. Crying children wasn't his area of expertise. Once she had calmed down, he produced a tissue from his bag with a flourish, making her giggle.

"What's your name, kid?"

That didn't seem like a hard question until she tried to answer it. It was on the tip of her tongue, why couldn't she get it out?

"V - V - Va.."

"Val maybe?"

She nodded. Didn't sound quite right but it was close.

"Well Val, I'm Harvey. Where's your mum and dad then?"

Mum and dad? Where were they? Did she even have any? She screwed up her face at him, he was as confused as she was.

"Surely you have somebody to look after you, you're only tiny. Any brothers? Sisters?"

Again, nothing. But a nice feeling came over her at the word "brothers". She closed her eyes tight. Tried to picture faces, a blurred vision appeared. Definitely a boy, was that blond hair?

"None of those either, eh?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well who were those two?"

"Nasty men."

He chuckled, "So I can see. Hey now, you have a bit of an American accent. Can you remember anything at all?"

"I bit one of those bad men on a boat."

"Oh. Not sure how helpful that is." His eyes widened. "I've think I've heard of your type before, never knew how true it was. Come on then Val, I'm gonna have to take you to the missus."

"What's that?"

"That is the lovely woman I call my wife."

He picked her up along with his bag. She felt curious.

"What were you doing with all those tools?"

He smiled proudly, "probably shouldn't be telling you this but if your memory's as bad as I think it is it shouldn't matter. I was getting ready to rob a few rooms in that hotel. Day is always best for hotel jobs, the people are always out."

"You steal things like the bad men?"

He grimaced, slightly offended, "This is me making a living, those type of thugs just take from people to be greedy. I just take bits and pieces from the type that can afford it, they don't even miss it half the time."

She wasn't sure she understood, but what she did know was that he was the first friendly face she had seen all day.

They made their way into a shady backstreet, the houses tightly packed together in one, long building on either side of the street. People were filing in and out, they waved and nodded to Harvey sending questioning looks at Val. He stopped outside one of the houses and rummaged in his pocket for a key, a woman appeared from the door beside.

"You're home early today, Harv." She spotted Val, "who have you here?"

"That's what I'm trying to work out." He got his door open and closed it behind him, leaving his neighbour to wonder.

"She's awful nosy. Right, better get you introduced to Martha."

He lead her to a tiny kitchen, a tiny woman was sitting at the table, engrossed in a laptop. She turned around.

"Harvey you aren't due home till 6, see if you mucked it..."

Her face was hard and her voice was shrewd. Her eyes fell on Val and her mouth fell open.

"No. No Harv. If I tell you we ain't taking in none of those stray dogs you bring home, what makes you think I want a youngster?"

"I think this one's special."

"I've heard that said about you too, you soft nutter."

"No listen to me, Martha. You heard what people said was happening in America in the 2040s? The government was making kids in test tubes just to train them up to be spies and soldiers, that sort of thing? And if they didn't qualify, they got the chop? What if she's one that escaped?"

"Don't talk nonsense, they were just rumours, Harvey. Who's been taking care of her?"

"That's the thing, Val here can't remember. Can't hardly remember her own name. When I found her, she was getting chased by these two thugs. I tell you, Martha, there's something about this kid that the wrong type of people want."

"What about the social services?"

"Where do you think whoever is looking for her is going to go to?"

"So we should take her in, like a kitten off the street? If what you say's right, she won't ever be able to go to school, get a job... Harvey, she won't even be able to exist!"

"Maybe that ain't such a bad thing. Look at her, she's looks bright and she's quick. I could teach her the tricks of the trade, bit of anonymity wouldn't hurt in our profession." He looked pleadingly at his wife, "we can't just leave her out to rot on the street."

Martha looked at Val with her lips pursed. She threw her hands up.

"Sometimes I just can't believe you Harv. Right, if we take her in, she's your responsibility. You teach her the trade, and keep her out of my hair. Agreed?"

He swooped in to kiss his wife on the cheek. "You won't regret it."

X

_"You've checked the police station?"_

_"Everywhere, Ron. She's gone."_

_"I'm not telling him."_

_"Neither am I."_

_"Right then, we'll have to do it together."_

_Doug held the phone in shaking hands, their boss's face filled the screen._

_"Ah, gentlemen. I trust it has all gone to plan? We will begin to send the Tracys evidence of their daughter's wellbeing presently."_

_"Well - Mr Hood. We - uh- we - "_

_"It's quite a long story, sir."_

_His voice dripped with malice, "I'm listening."_

_"Well, the crux of the matter is-"_

_"We don't have her."_

_"Yep, she's gone."_

_"YOU USELESS FOOLS!"_


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Sorry I haven't updated in an embarrassingly long time but exams are over so I'll try to be a bit quicker! Thank you all so much for reading and all the lovely reviews really mean a massive amount to me so thanks again!xx**

Life on Tracy Island was always hard to adjust to after a month in space. Firstly, gravity was merciless. After experiencing weightlessness, life on Earth felt like a two tonne weight had been set on John's shoulders. The others were usually alerted to his presence by the sound of smashing and the fumbling of his suddenly very clumsy hands. On his first visit home, he was found crawling on his hands and knees, slurring curses with a strangely heavy mouth at Gordon who delighted in his disorientation.

What was better though, was that food at home made space food taste like something scraped off the road. There were many mealtimes up on Thunderbird 5, that John would have sold his organs for a plate of his grandma's cooking. Even her more questionable experiments.

However, besides the heavy limbs and the luxury of something that wasn't freeze dried, John took longest to adjust the the sheer amount of noise and commotion that 4 brothers could make.

"Space invaders!"

"John, when was the last time you ate proper food? Honestly, you look like the grim reaper."

"How's Tin-Tin doing?"

"For heaven's sake, Alan you saw her ten minutes ago."

"Yeah Alan no-one likes a clinger! No wonder she volunteered to go up, she must be wanting a bit of breathing space."

"Hey shut up Gordon! By the way, Scott you better not have left the lights on in 3."

"What? Since when have I done that?"

"You left them on in 2 that time."

"Don't you start encouraging him, Virgil. And when was I ever in 2?"

"That volcano in Iceland when I had a broken collarbone."

"I had a concussion!"

John was just thankful that they let him be for the minute. Usually Gordon or Alan started to...

"Hey John! Say 'red lorry, yellow lorry' five times fast!"

Spoke too soon. He let them have their fun. After 7 years, the novelty of John slurring out tongue twisters and awkward words had never gotten old for his younger brothers. Even Virgil and Scott snickered at his increasingly pathetic attempts. Once John's mouth was positively numb, Scott tactfully helped him escape from Gordon and Alan's hooting laughter.

"It's been a long day for everybody, their method of coping is filling themselves with sugar until they hit dad's supply of whiskey this evening." Scott chuckled, "They're pretty hyper."

"Ya dun say."

"What was that? Didn't quite catch you." Scott teased.

"Shu'ub."

Scott carried John's bag into his room. The astrology posters and books still remained across the walls from his adolescence. For years, he locked himself away in here, head buried in a textbook determined to live up to Tina's and his own dream of living among, and studying the stars. He had done it.

"Good to be home, huh?" Scott said softly, breaking John out of his daydream.

He nodded, he had always imagined coming home on the anniversary to be almost disrespectful. Why would his family want the cause of the grief to be with them? Now, it wasn't uncomfortable, his brothers had treated him how they did every other day and home just felt like, well...home.

"It was dad who was determined to have you down, you know."

John furrowed his brow at Scott in an unspoken question.

Scott sighed, "Johnny it's been a long time. 12 years is it now? I know you two are fine every other day, but the issue of that night needs to be put to bed. Every year dad says he'll call you to talk about it but he never does. Usually ends up going over it with Virgil or me. It's not because he's angry or blames you, it's just been left so long he doesn't know how to put it."

John listened, every year he had wanted to call his father, tell him he was sorry, try to make sense of what had happened. He never did either.

"Weir quide simiwer."

"You can say that again. You should talk to him, he'd appreciate it."

"I fink I will."

Scott looked like he was going to say something else, then the alarm sounded, shrill and urgent. Scott took off at a run with John following with limbs flailing, his orientation slowly but surely coming back to him. Dread filled him although it wasn't from the alarm. This was the first time he had faced his father on the anniversary. When they reached their father's desk, he smiled at John, although his eyes betrayed uncertainty.

"Good to have you back, son. Right now, there's a fire in London, a multi-storey archives building. There are people trapped in the top floors and the fire services are having trouble keeping the whole thing under control. Scott, you get on it right away."

"FAB"

"Virgil, you take Gordon and John."

"Why does John get to go? He's just home!"

"Don't argue, Alan. John, are you acclimatised enough to go?"

"Yes, sir I think so." He had adjusted surprisingly quickly.

"Good, get on it and keep in contact."

"FAB"

John hadn't been on a mission in who knows how long. To be truthful, he had missed it. The adrenaline rush and heat and noise was something that simply didn't occur on 5. The joy and pride of saving another's life was reward enough for what they sacrificed but he knew the stress and responsibility took its toll on his brothers.

"All set, you two?"asked Virgil, rolling Thunderbird 2 down the runway.

"Yep, ready to go."

"Alright, let's see what's going on in London."

Thunderbird 2 launched abruptly from Tracy Island, causing John's head to thud against the headrest. Gordon quickly simmered down to his "Mission Mode," as named by Alan. He still had that permanent glimmer in his eye but John knew that in a mission, he was as efficient as his older brothers. Virgil always had a cool head and a gentle manner that was received gratefully by the shaken survivors of catastrophes. He kept his eyes ahead, briefly glancing at the tracker. He flicked a switch.

"Thunderbird 2 to Thunderbird 5, what can you tell us Tin-Tin?"

"Well, Virgil, it's a big fire alright. The fire service has managed to get the workers on the bottom floors out but there are still several people trapped higher up. It's an old archives building so there are quite a lot of important documents going up in smoke."

"Thanks, Tin-Tin. Scott? Are you there?"

"FAB Virgil, I can't add much to what Tin-Tin said, but there's something strange going on with one of the trapped people. Whoever it is keeps climbing up the building and won't let the firemen help. The survivors we've got down aren't sure who it is."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think whoever it is should be in there."

"Did they start the fire?"

"I don't know. Time to get a move on anyway."

"Right, Gordon and John, take the jet packs and help the people at the windows down. I'll get to work putting the fire out."

"FAB."

That was what John found himself doing half an hour later. Every grateful word of thanks wheezed out by smoke polluted lungs was a much needed boost to his spirit. It beat wallowing in 5 any day. Frantic survivors were carried out of windows and to the ground where ambulances waited patiently. It was one of the more hitch-free rescues John had seen. Until Gordon yelped down his earpiece.

"Ow! No wait, take it easy! I'm not gonna - ow!"

Muffled scuffling was heard through John's earpiece followed by a grunt.

"Gordon? What is it?"

"There's a kid, John! He's resisting rescue, and what a punch!"

"You alright?"

"Gonna be a bit grisly tomorrow morning. I hate to ask, but would you mind giving a hand? The place is filling with smoke and we need him out. You have the calming influence I never had."

"You've got the irritating influence."

"I heard that, Virgil."

"Right Gordon, I'm coming up!"

His jet pack blasted him to the window where Gordon was clambering out. Blood oozed from his nose and his left eye was reddening and swelling.

"Watch yourself, John! Rocky Balboa is on a rampage!"

"Thanks for leaving me with him! Anyway, get yourself down there and cleaned up."

"Anytime, John."

He watched as Gordon lowered down to earth. All survivors were out and being rushed to hospital. Except one.

John positioned his oxygen mask over his face as he stepped into the smoke. It was thicker now and was billowing out of the open window. He needed to find the mystery fighter before he suffocated.

Putting his hands in front of himself he felt tentatively through the smoke. His hand connected with a small open door that clinked softly against another. On further examination he saw they were safes, every one of them open and looted. Sheets of paper were everywhere, files had been ripped open and their contents strewn across the floor. It looked like an animal had been let loose and had destroyed half of London's documents. No wonder the archive workers didn't look happy. Someone had been frantic, they were looking for something.

A hacking, choking cough came from behind a desk. Whoever it was couldn't take the smoke much longer. John moved closer softly, aware of the beating his brother had took. Peering over the desk he took in a crouching, dark form, it had its hoodie sleeve stretched tight over its mouth in an attempt to breathe. That hacking cough came again, the body convulsing.

"Time to get you out I think,"

The intruder's head shot up, he pulled the hoodie over his face to leave wild, fierce eyes to glare out at John.

"Ain't goin' down mister, you'll just hand me to the peelers."

The voice was raspy with smoke and boyishly deep, but it was clear this person was no man. It was a girl.

"Look," John tried again, "I don't know what you're up to but justice isn't what we do, I'm here to save you."

She raised a bloody fist half heartedly, weak with the lack of oxygen. John saw a consideration of violence flash across the eyes in front of him, then fearful uncertainty. He suddenly realised how threatening he looked with his face and eyes obscured by his oxygen mask. Through the dark, baggy clothing, he saw the wearer was scrawny. He lowered his voice and spoke soothingly.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to get you down to the ground. You need oxygen."

The wild eyes softened, they had thick, dark eyelashes. John put his arm around her middle, he could feel every rib as his resistant fighter half collapsed against him. She fitted comfortably, strangely familiar. He guided her to the window and she gulped the air greedily through her hoodie.

As they sank slowly towards the ground, her breathing calmed.

"Sorry I hit your mate, I thought he was out to lock me up. Hope his face is alright."

"Don't worry about him, he's survived much worse and he was never that good looking to begin with."

"I heard that, John." Gordon's disgruntled voice came down the earpiece.

The girl gave a bark of a laugh, "I've been told my left hook could put a buffalo to sleep."

"He was seeing stars anyway," laughed John.

"He was up living with Orion in the sky. That's where I'd rather be."

John froze, painful memories stabbing into him with those words. He looked over the the girl in his arms, her eyes had taken on a dreamy look.

"You like the stars, huh?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, loved them since I was a kid, knew the constellations' names and everything. Perseus, Ursa Major, I love 'em. That was one of the things I could never remember how I knew." She replied in that boyish voice with an American lilt that was painfully familiar.

A wave of nausea hit John. He felt dizzy. This is irrational, he told himself, she's dead, she's dead...

"What's your name, kid?" He choked out.

"Hey now wait a minute, I've told you all you're gonna hear..."

"Look I'm not going to say a word to the police but please, you have to tell me your name!" He heard himself begging, he swallowed his embarrassment, she was just a thief and Tina was dead...

"Well, I, as good as dead anyway, so it's Val. I have no other."

John felt his face drain of blood. It couldn't be. It just wasn't possible. He was there that night, he knew what happened. Or did he? Only a foot to the ground now, there was no crowd below to meet them, they were all at the ambulances. John looked into the thief's eyes. Sky blue eyes that mirrored his own. He hit the ground and his legs were weak. Common sense screamed in his head but an instinct was screaming louder, he just knew...

"Here kid I need a proper look at you."

He ripped off the mask, feeling his blond hair flop on his forehead. The girl's eyes lost the dazed confusion and became stricken with a look that was not quite fear but was recognition. Her hand dropped from covering her face and she pulled down her hood. Dark curly hair fell down to graze narrow shoulders. She was gangly although her head didn't quite reach John's chin but her long arms were strong, her fists were bruised on the knuckles and her young, proud face had an ethereal beauty. They stood staring, a distance of 12 years reduced to centimetres.

Time seemed to slow, the roar of water from the fire engines faded out to nothing.

"John?" She seemed uncertain, she squinted out of the corner of her eye at him like she couldn't quite figure him out. Mom used to do that.

"Tina. Valentina." He whispered. He was shaking, he was hallucinating, it was the smoke, it had to be the smoke...

"Valentina! That's it! That's my name!" She seemed quite shaken, her eyes widened and she seemed to be seeing something for the first time inside her head. She looked at John. She slowly raised her hand, she reached out and touched John's cheekbone with her fingertips then drew them back as if burned. It was only for a second but John had felt it, she was real. Tina was alive.

"That's her, officer!" A man in a suit was shouting, "the one I saw in the building before it caught fire!"

Tina looked up, frightened. Policemen turned their heads, started skulking toward them. She moved frantically, she wrenched a folded paper from her pocket and thrust it into John's hand.

"No, no Tina please stay! It's alright! Tina!"

She was gone. Weaving her way through the crowd, she took off down an alley with a crowd of burly police officers in pursuit. John nearly started sobbing, his shaking hands opened the paper. It was a criminal file. It had a CCTV image of Tina, looking over her shoulder while waiting at a bus stop. He read on with fading vision.

**ALIAS: THE SHADOW**

**BIRTH NAME: UNKNOWN**

**GENDER: FEMALE**

**AGE: 15-18 **

**BIRTHPLACE: UNKNOWN**

**FAMILY CONNECTIONS: UNKNOWN **

**RESIDENCE: UNKNOWN **

**PROFESSION: THIEF**

**THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO DOZENS OF ROBBERIES FROM LARGE COMPANIES STRETCHING ACROSS LONDON. ARREST ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE BUT HAVE BEEN FUTILE. WELL KNOWN AROUND CRIMINAL CIRCLES.**

"John? John buddy? You're not looking so good, are you still not acclimatised? Speak to me Johnny!" He felt Gordon shaking him gently, it felt far away. "Scott! Virgil! John's sick!"

John stuffed the file in his pocket. His vision was blurring in and out and the world was starting to spin. His brothers' footsteps were nearing but they seemed to be fading away.

"Hey, Johnny. How are you feeling? Wow, never seen you so pale. Maybe if we get you on the ground so you don't..."

Virgil's voice faded away as John stumbled and his world eclipsed into black.


	6. Chapter 6

"How is he now, Virgil?" Jeff asked. He and Scott had been hovering outside John's room while Virgil had been seeing to him.

"He's fine now, it's just been a long day for him." Virgil was weary too, this was an emotional day for everyone and a rescue in the middle wasn't exactly needed, but the show always had to go on.

"It was my fault for sending him out. Between acclimatising to gravity to being out on a mission for the first time in a year, and then today of all days! I don't know what I was thinking." Jeff grimaced, he knew exactly what he had been thinking. He was still cowardly, still couldn't properly face John on this day. Now look where it had ended.

"Honestly, dad, he's fine. Nothing a bit of rest won't sort out. He came round pretty quickly. It's all just been a bit too much." Virgil tried to keep the worry out of his voice. There was something he wasn't telling his father, Scott had seen it in John too. The other two were too young to remember.

"Actually dad, maybe you should take a rest too. You look quite tired." Scott said. Virgil raised his eyebrows at him, not the most graceful attempt at trying to get their dad to leave.

"I'm not an old man just yet, Scott. I'd like to be around for John."

Now that Virgil had a good look at his father, he looked more exhausted than he'd seen him in ages.

"We'll look after him, it's been very busy lately, you deserve a break."

Jeff eyed them suspiciously, then he turned and headed to the living room, muttering as he went, "not being wheeled around yet," "wait till they have kids of their own they'll be begging for a break."

The two brothers watched him go, then grinned at each other in spite of themselves at their father's grumblings. Then they got serious.

"How is he really, Virgil?"

"You saw him."

"Haven't seen him like that in - well -"

"12 years."

"He couldn't be like that all up on his own every year, could he?" Scott looked worried, that fussy big brother was coming out, "he was absolutely spooked, kept mumbling and raving - like he'd seen a ghost or something."

"I have him calm now," Virgil paused and looked towards the door, frowning.

"What is it?"

"He was spooked alright, but it's not like him. He's sensible, positively scientific but -"

"He was in a bad state, Virgil. The guy was deranged. I told him to put on his oxygen mask but he didn't do it till the last survivor. I maintain it was the smoke."

"Scott, he says he saw Tina."

They were silent, the sound of John's even breathing came through the door.

"Yes, I heard him." Scott said slowly. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, he was used to John being poised and unshakable in the face of peril. Scott had been frightened himself, the way John had looked and sounded when he came around. "Virgil, we're adults now, believe or not. Tina died on that cliff, 12 years ago."

Virgil was staring at the ground, "mom never believed she died, refused to acknowledge it, do you remember? Said she felt it, she said she just knew Tina was alive -"

"It was her way of coping." Scott could hear the pleading in his own voice, "please don't tell me you believe him - you don't, do you?"

Virgil rubbed his arm absentmindedly, "he had seen something, I saw it in his eyes. John's mind is subjected to all kinds of abuse up in that tin can of his, he's used to stress, strain and loneliness-"

"We've seen the results today."

"No, listen to me. John is a hell of a clever guy and he doesn't get excited easily, you know that. Whatever it was that made him act like that, it was real, and it's given him a shock from beyond the grave. The last time I saw that look on his face, dad was pulling him by the arm down the cliff."

Scott winced, "yeah, I remember. With any luck, he'll be better tomorrow." Seeing his brother's defeated look he said, "it's hard, and part of me wants to believe him too, it's a nice notion, but we need to face the facts. It's the kindest option for ourselves."

John heard Virgil sigh from outside the door, it was nice to have someone believe him. He wasn't even sure he could believe himself. If John knew Scott as well as he thought he did, Scott would feel the need to be the stern older brother. Keeping nonsense in line. Virgil as an ally was more than what John expected. The desire for confirmation was burning a hole in his chest. Like Virgil had said, John was a sensible, calm person. This was beyond anything conceivably possible, but still, he had seen her. She was real. He touched the crumpled file again. It was real. He read the information again, he shook his head, this was no way for a person to live. Let alone his baby sister. Tina was a true Tracey, a survivor. He and his brothers were anonymous of course, but they had each other. They had a home, a whole island at that. They weren't stealing to survive, Tina's clothes were tattered and looked like they had had many previous owners, she was skeletal. They weren't looking over their shoulder like Tina in the photo. They weren't living in terror of letting their guard down, being caught. He thought of her wide eyes, still scared of shadows. She had been running from them for so long she had somehow become one. She was reduced to scraps of vague, gleaned information compiled on a single sheet of paper with a blurred photo at the top. He took in the words, "unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown." Did she have anyone looking after her? Any friends? Did she have a home? Did she know he existed before today? More obviously, how was she even alive?

One thought rang clear in his mind. He needed to bring her home. But how? London was a big city, she had ran down the alleys like they were her back garden. With the level of secrecy she had shrouded herself in, there was no doubt she was a good hider. She would be nearly impossible to find by himself. All he had of her was this damn paper.

He looked again, "well known around criminal circles." They would be as hard to find as Tina herself. He heard voices from outside the door, Scott and Virgil back to check on him. He pretended to be asleep.

"Well, he does seem to be fine, I still say he saw something." Virgil whispered.

"'Something.' That's a pretty broad term. A tree? A boat? A massive fire that he shouldn't have been at today?"

"Come off it, Scott. You know what I mean."

"No, not really. Oh and by the way, Virge? There's something I just have to ask."

"What?"

"Is it true about you and Lady P?"

Virgil took off down the corridor at maximum walking speed. Scott sniggered softly behind him. John couldn't help but grin, some things never changed. He was sorry Tina had had to grow up without this. He tried to imagine Virgil living in Lady Penelope's grand English mansion with all the finery. John wasn't sure if Virgil could stick a week. On top of that there would be Parker nosing around trying to-

John sat straight up in bed. Parker. Nosey Parker. Nosey-Safe-Breaker-Extraordinaire-London-Expert Parker.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Once again, it's been an embarrassingly long time since my last chapter but please know that I love you all and I'm going to try to get another chapter up a bit quicker! Thank you again :)x**

Tina slid through the crowds like an eel, her heart was breaking. Memories that returned spontaneously throughout her life had added details to a phantom voice until a complete being manifested in her mind. Her Silver Boy. She had never known who he was, in fact, she had never known who she herself was. The only thing she had ever known for certain was that once she had found this blond haired, gangly figure, everything would all be alright.

He had taken a lifetime to find and she had fled from him.

His cries faded away as she slipped into the darkness of an ally and scrambled up a fire escape. Years of escaping the police had given her a monkey-like agility and taught her to relish the safety of heights. Puffing policemen thundered past below. She crawled to the opposite edge and gasped in awe. Just beside the smoking remains of the archive building, stood the most magnificent machines she had laid eyes on. The larger, was a green beast of an aircraft, raised to reveal a huge, gaping compartment where the massive fire extinguisher had presumably been stored. The other was a sleek, silver rocket, glinting in splendour beside its larger, more robust companion. She kept hidden as she turned her eyes back to John. He was so close and yet an eternity away.

His skin had been pale to begin with, he looked as if he didn't see the sun too often, but even from a distance she could see his skin had turned an ashy grey. A vivid memory seized her, she was tiny again, trying to clamber onto his knee before he hauled her up to sit on his lap. He read to her from his book, letting her follow the words with the help of a fingertip tracing across the page.

Tina blinked hard, memories were returning to her in floods. Toddling through a maze of shins and knees, someone bending down to fix her hair-clip, another sneaking her something sweet from a pocket, endless noise and energy. At another time, she would have savoured the sweet nostalgia, memories didn't come often enough and were never so clear. Now she needed to focus on the present. She watched as John examined her criminal file and felt guilt knot in her stomach. What would he think of her? Would he even want to see her again? She had never enjoyed stealing, as notoriously good as she was. She only ever took what would not be missed and would keep meat on her bones. A rumbling stomach was easier to bear than a heavy conscience. When she was younger, Martha would shake her head at Tina's pitiful offerings and exclaim that, "a moral high ground don't pay the bills!"

John had started to sway. A smaller, red haired IR member jogged over. Gordon. She became aware of the throbbing of her knuckles, her brother's ever cheerful face was smeared with his own blood. She remembered paddling furiously to reach that face in a cool, blue pool. Boyish giggling sang cool and clear in her ears while her chubby legs kicked their hardest to get to the bobbing head in front of her. "Tina, you did it! You can swim!"

Gordon reached his brother. Her criminal file slipped into John's pocket. Tina watched as the smile slid slowly from Gordon's face. He took John's narrow shoulders and shook gently. Tina wanted nothing more than to sprint to them. Explain herself, ask questions, let them tell her it was all ok.

John was surrounded now. Scott and Virgil. She almost cried out as a wave of emotion threatened to suffocate her. Two massive, protecting presences that loomed comfortingly across the memories she was regaining. Vivid colour splashed across her vision. Virgil had let her do finger paintings, mainly across herself while he hummed softly, unaware. The solid grip of Scott's hands under her arms lifted her to the sink to sponge gently at her hands and face, muttering halfhearted admonishments.

It was easy to tell who drove which Thunderbird. Virgil was a mountain of a man, a heavy arm gripping John's waist as his legs buckled. John fell, caught by his brother before the ground. His limp figure was lifted as easily and carefully as if he were a child. The three conscious brothers exchanged an unreadable glance. Scott's lithe figure jogged ahead, taking the lead while speaking into a device on his wrist. Virgil followed, carrying John who was beginning to stir. Gordon lingered, he cast a thoughtful frown in the direction she had run in and raised a hand to his swelling eye. With a departing nod to the fire-service, he turned and entered the green craft.

In a few minutes of heat and noise, the phantom subjects of hazy memories were as far away as they ever had been.

Tina didn't realise she was crying until salty tears stung her cut hands. She pulled her knees to her chin and sobbed bitterly. Years of imagining that moment, the moment when she would finally have truth - it hadn't gone exactly how she planned.

It was bittersweet. Her Silver Boy was real. He was her brother. He was called John. The big problem was, he was part of one the most secretive organisations in the world, not even the government knew where they were based.

She closed her eyes and remembered. John had fell and their brothers had caught him. She knew physical power when she saw it and she had seen it in those arms that had scooped John up so tenderly. She had seen cunning in their leader whose priority flicked instantly to John, and in the younger brother, she saw that he was more knowing than he was given credit for. She saw that love abounded in that family and realised how cruelly she had been ripped from it.

In a day she had transformed the Shadow, a ghost of a person, to Tina who had been born into the world's most loved family.

As memories of a golden childhood returned in smothering waves, Tina had never felt more alone.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Sorry for the delay! Really hope you enjoy this!:)xx**

"You're crazy"

"Look Scott, I know it sounds - a little bit impossible, but couldn't there just be the teensiest tiniest most minutest little chance it could be true? If Virgil and I both believe it then-"

"Then you're both crazy."

"Scott, listen would ya?" Gordon's excitement was contorting his bruised face too much to be comfortable, yet he felt the urge to ramble on.

He pointed to his eye, "I was up pretty close and personal with the kid and I tell you, it gave me deeja voodoo or whatever."

"Déjà vu?"

"Yeah, that. The heebie jeebies."

Scott rubbed his forehead. He was not in the mood for this. In a way he envied his younger brothers, keeping hopeless dreams alive. As the eldest, it was his job to be the killjoy.

"It could be true! There's no physical evidence to prove-"

"Alan, you weren't even there so don't talk about evidence!" Scott could feel a migraine coming on. Virgil had been fretting all night, Gordon had been an awkward concussion patient and Alan was being a general irritant.

"Scott really! What if she had-"

Scott slammed his hand on the table. "She is not a conspiracy theory, Gordon! She's our sister! She isn't some joke or mystery or whatever the hell you think this is! If you have it in you at all, act your age for once in your life!" Scott sat back, breathing heavily and already regretting his outburst. He couldn't look at Gordon's face but he knew the look of dejection that would be setting in. No joker wants to make someone unhappy.

He took a deep breath, "Look kid, I'm sorry. It's been a strange day and I think I understand what you're trying to do. It's a nice thought, I know." The heaviness of his feelings seemed to weigh him down. That, and a thumping migraine. "I know you loved her and I know you'd love to see her come back, but it's just not going to happen. You understand?"

He raised his head to look at his brothers. The stillness of them was unsettling. He pushed himself up and half stumbled to the door.

"I'll be in bed if you need me" he mumbled, "check on John in a while, will ya?"

"He's already up."

"Oh, that's good." He swung around, his vision getting foggier, "speak to him about that particular topic at your peril, got it?"

"Yes, sir."

As Tina sat on the rooftop, she couldn't help but contemplate recent events. Harvey and Martha had died 2 years ago. Stabbed in the backs by some lowlife that could hold a grudge a long time. She had cried herself raw but that's all she had known. Recently, there had been whispers. Strange rumours that made a frightening amount of sense. Rumours that said Val wasn't who she thought she was. Rumours that said that there were two men that never left London, brandishing a photo of a dark haired little girl to figures in dark corners. They were offering a sizeable reward for whoever had enough information. The rumours said that the girl was important, worth a lot of money. A little American with a rich daddy. Rumours said that they suddenly struck lucky after ten years of prowling the streets. Someone knew that girl, looked a bit like the kid who lived with a thief and his wife. Someone else knew the thief with a daughter with an inexplicable American accent, no more than the tiniest lilt but an American accent nonetheless. The woman on the next barstool knew where they lived, she had never liked the man. Within a week, the two men found the house. Martha could put up a good fight, but it was too much for anyone. By the time Harvey and Val came home, the door hanging on its hinges said enough. The last thing Harvey said to Val was an instruction. Run.

Even before the police took an interest in the thin hands that delved silently into handbags and pockets and the occasional safe, she had always had the feeling of being constantly hunted. Harvey had told her the nonsense about the child experiments in America but she had just known it wasn't true. Although she knew she was found running for her life, she also knew that at one point she had been deeply loved. The Silver Boy had never left her, and for 2 years he was all she had left.

Everyone in the thieving circles knew her. Or rather, what she allowed them to know. They respected that and in return, she felt obliged to run errands.

"Bring me the spare keys to room 248 in the East Bay Hotel."

"Give this number to the woman at the end of Monarch Street. She'll give you your pay."

"I need you to create a distraction for me. Reckon you're quick enough?"

Anything to keep her mind occupied. She had grown to be good. Very good. Good old fashioned robberies were having a renaissance. Security was geared for cyber attacks and online fraud. No fancy computer technology could protect against someone swiping the money out of your pocket. She could go professional if she had wanted, but her heart wasn't in it. The "moral high ground" Martha despaired at was still alive and was kicking in her guts whenever she heard the gasp of realised loss.

Tina was constantly aware that her life was going nowhere.

There was no chance of an honest life. Although Martha made sure she could read and write as well as anyone and although she had a mysterious fluency in French, she had no official education. She was also homeless. She had no parents or guardians. She did not know her exact age or even her name. No system had any knowledge of her apart from what vague information was given to the police. Effectively she did not exist.

The police had been hounding her trail more and more. As the demand for her services increased, so did her notoriety. "The Shadow" baffled the police. The same dark haired girl had been involved in every major heist across London but did not seem to directly profit from transactions. Those who got caught were aware of her but seemed to surprise themselves at how little they knew about her. She just did odd jobs. Despite this, Tina had had enough close encounters with the police to know that they were closing in on her. Although there were worse things than going to jail it was not something that was particularly appealing.

Her days consisted of the swift dip and retreat of her hand into pockets, swiping keys from hotel lobbies and clipped instructions from vaguely familiar figures from when she was still known as "Harvey's little shadow."

But at night, she crept along her rooftop kingdom to the tall building where she could lie on her back and stare at the stars. In the still and cool of the night, the soft voice would stir in her mind.

"Taurus, Draco, Pegasus, Orion."

On and on and on while there were stars to see. A voice that spoke solely for her but expected no favours and made no demands. It didn't carry a thinly veiled undertone that jibed at the scraggy girl who did everyone's dirty work. If she closed her eyes, sometimes a memory would flit across her mind. She did not always feel familiar with what she saw but she always knew the voice hung over it. As the days became increasingly hungry and lonely, the Silver Boy's presence grew ever clearer under the stars.

This was how it was. Day after day. Until she heard a name on the day before the fire.

"The Hood."

It was as if someone had shrieked in her ear. The entire bar turned to look at the girl writhing on the floor. The noise had died down in her ears to make way for a pair of glowing eyes that stared at her in her box. The pain was excruciating as she wailed and clutched her eyes.

When it all subsided, she saw rather than heard that the entire bar was silent and staring. Feeling herself go red she hauled herself shakily to her feet. She faced the piercing stares of men and women who had spent their lives facing every hardship and villain head on. Their gazes did not falter but she could feel the terror that had gripped the room.

"It's her"

"The one he's been looking for all these years"

"It couldn't be Shadow"

"He's used his eyes on her, it has to be her."

Tina waited for an explanation, none was given. Some continued to stare, others turned away, a few picked up their coats to leave and others were clearly conspiring.

She grabbed the nearest woman's shoulder. Tina had done a few jobs for her and she had been kind in return.

"Who is that you were talking about?"

The woman only shook her head and gently but firmly pushed her hand away.

"Please, I need to know!"

Her pleading whimper fell on stubborn ears. She approached a man who had been friends with Harvey but he turned abruptly and left before she could follow. All backs were turned to her and her embarrassment and distress suddenly turned to frustration. She was stood in the middle of a room of hardened criminals who had known her since she was brought home and they were withering around her.

"WHO IS THE HOOD?"She yelled.

The landlord curved around the bar and shook her.

Through her dizziness she could hear the unmistakable pant of fear.

"You get out of here, you stay out and you don't come back. Do you hear me, girl?"

Half in tears, Tina looked at the man who had ruffled her hair as a child and had let her stay in the bar when she had nothing. Seeing this, his glare softened but the terror remained. He was being kind even still.

"Get out of here, get as far away as you can and don't dare look back."

He gave her a push, forcing her to scramble towards the door. A burly man blocked her way.

"You all know she's got money on her head? A lot of money," he said, "if you folks are shy about taking advantage of that then don't mind me."

As his hand moved to grab her arm Tina swung her fist as hard as she could and connected with his nose, making an audible crunch. As he howled in pain, Tina shoved past him and into the light. As she ran across streets and gardens, she didn't notice the two men skulk out of the bar. Two men on a 12 year mission.

The old archive building had stood for over a hundred years. It held thousands of documents from parchments to hard drives all with varying importance. There was only one file Tina was after. The Hood's. Standing outside the front door, she craned her neck to see the top until she nearly fell over. She was a good climber but anything over 8 stories tested her capability a little too much. She watched men in crisp suits and pristinely dressed women weave in and out of the building. She looked down at her own attire of someone's son's old hoodie and battered trainers. They probably wouldn't let her through the door.

"Alright guys, have we got everyone? Great. This is a fascinating building."

A few minutes later, Tina sauntered though the front doors in the tail of a large tour group. The click of heels on marble tiles echoed around a round, shining reception area. As light twinkled from the chandelier onto her face she realised just how out of her depth she was. Money and valuables were left in obvious places. She had no idea how to look for possibly a single sheet of paper among millions.

"If you'd like to follow me, this is the floor where the original architectural blueprints of some of the most famous buildings in London are kept..."

Tina felt her mind numbing from both nerves and boredom. After 9 floors of redundant blueprints and forgotten political agreements, she wondered if anything of actual use to anybody was kept within these musty rooms.

"Here, on this floor, ladies and gentlemen, are the police reports of Jack the Ripper! In fact, reports and files of all major criminals are still in here today!"

Tina was suddenly engaged. While the group fawned over files detailing grisly deaths, she slipped away. She pressed herself to the wall as a couple of workers passed. A sign beside her listed an extensive array of file types. She strained her eyes but she couldn't make sense of any of it. She thought of the terror the mention of the name had brought. The Hood was obviously not any old thief. Her eyes were drawn to a category, "Most Wanted."

She skulked through the labyrinthine rooms and shelves and found herself surrounded by safes. She had never been an expert at cracking safes but it was time to try. She put her ear to the safe like Harvey taught her and began to turn the knob. With every unsuccessful combination, the urge to kick the safe open got more difficult to resist. She was on the verge of screaming when she heard the sound all safe breakers love.

She pulled it open and rummaged through the contents, nothing useful. She tried the next one and opened it in a considerably shorter time, still nothing

The two men stood on the floor below her. They were more conspicuous than Tina and the suspicious glances told them that. They waited until the buzz of workers ceased.

"Time to smoke her out then, Doug?"

"I reckon so."

The smoke alarm went off sharp and shrill. It shocked Tina off her knees where she was cracking her fifth safe. There was a collective click as safes automatically opened. She began to rip them open, throwing pages out as the hunt intensified. Smoke began to seep from the air vents and the floor became hot under her feet. Still she tore files to the floor, still nothing. As the alarm increased in pitch, she half heard a roar outside of aircrafts landing. Smoke caught in her throat, making her cough and stinging her eyes.

Then she saw it. She eased The Hood's file from the others. There was no photo, hardly any information. She smashed her fist against the safe and threw the file to the ground. Through the density of the smoke, something caught her eye. She bent slowly and pulled another sheet from behind The Hood's. It was another criminal file. It was her own. Attached to it was a handwritten note.

"You can't hide from me."

Despite the heat, Tina felt cold sweat prick at the back of her neck. She shredded the note until it fell like snow from her hands. The smoke was unbearable now and the whir of ambulances said that everyone was leaving without her. She felt her legs collapse onto the piles of paper around her. She couldn't leave if she wanted to. If the fire didn't get her the police would.

In the midst of smoke and heat, she was reunited with a family she didn't know she had. Then she watched them fly away.

On the rooftop, she watched until the final police car drove away. Dark had long descended on London and the air was cold. She pulled her hoodie around herself and grimaced at the acrid smell of smoke. She had been sitting for hours, remembering and remembering as memories saturated her.

Where could she go? Ideally, she would be with John and her family. But such was life. She had not returned to Harvey and Martha's house since the funeral. Yet, that was the way her weary feet were taking her. By the time she arrived, a slither of dawn had emerged and the stars were dimming. The door had been crudely boarded shut but had the signs of having been broken into. Probably scavengers. It creaked open as she entered. Her fingers felt out in the dark, leaving a clean trail through dust on a countertop. The kitchen was dark and eerily still but untouched. Scavengers would have taken everything. As she went to pull out a chair a knife was pressed to her throat.

"Look at little Valentina, Ron. All grown up." Doug hissed.

"Remember us? You've led us on a merry chase these last 12 years."

Tina was shoved into a chair while her head was wrenched back by her hair. She looked into the faces of her kidnappers with what she hoped was defiance. The terror of a four year old had awoken again but she told herself she was older now, she was older now...

The knife moved to graze her cheekbone, they looked more giant, more hungry since she had last seen them. Ron put his hand around her neck and squeezed.

"You have no one now, Valentina. Your family gave you up for dead long ago."

"The Hood even thought you were dead for a while. Until he saw your picture in the papers. If we killed you now, no one would miss you or even question it. Only thing stopping us killing you like the rat you are is him. You should be thankful."

"That's right, he's on his way over right now." Ron smiled, "the best bit is, your mum didn't even live to know that her baby was alive."

Through the fear, white hot rage was building inside her. She remembered her mother, she remembered the soft feel of her and the soft sound of her voice...

"No, the best bit was killing the two who put up with you." Doug laughed darkly, "they never even put up a fight."

Some strange strength erupted in Tina as she yanked Doug's wrist to pull the knife down on Ron's arm. As he howled in pain his hand disappeared from her throat and she kicked him in the stomach. The grip in her hair tightened as the knife slashed across her cheek making her shriek. Nearly blind with pain she twisted in Doug's grip, grabbing for the knife. He caught her with it again, cutting through her sleeve and onto her arm. He let go of her hair to grab her wrists but she smacked him with her fist across his jaw and again on his cheekbone. They both dropped to the floor as he dropped the knife. She scrambled for it with him firmly gripping her ankle. With her fingertips millimetres away from the blade, Ron hauled her up and slammed her hard against the wall.

"This has gone on long enough," he snarled. "You either sit and wait for whatever The Hood has in store for you which I hope it ends in you getting put down, or me and Doug save him the trouble right now. Believe me, the second option will be far more painful."

She could feel warm blood running down her arm and down her neck. The two men in front of her were panting, they were older now too. The grip on her shoulders wasn't as strong as when she was four. She wasn't four anymore.

She kicked again with all her might and again and again, with no room to throw a punch she raked her nails over his face. With a final shove she broke free, dodged Doug and burst her way down the hall and through the door and straight into the bonnet of a car.

A hand covered her mouth while the other shoved her into the backseat.

"It's been 12 years since we last met, Valentina Tracey." A cool voice said.

All Tina could do was scream as they sped off into the dark.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN/ Thank you so much for reading. I love you all xx**

All was quiet at Tracy Island. On any other day, it would have been welcome. Pleasant. The inhabitants were all too aware of this and that seemed to heighten the general feeling of unease.

Gordon was unusually reluctant to leave his room. He blamed his concussion. It was very mild, yes, but a concussion all the same. His only outward venture was to wash the smell of smoke from his hair and this was done peacefully, without nearly taking the bathroom door from its hinges in order to get Alan out.

Alan, who hated solitude, retired quietly to the hanger where he proceeded to tinker around Thunderbird 5 with his headphones on full blast. When offered help by Brains, he refused. He was just looking over a few things, that was all.

Virgil's art easel stood alone, the piano sat silent. He loitered around the living room, occasionally shooting wistful glances at the alarm. When the alarm had sat silent for longer than he could bear, he made his way to the kitchen, to loiter there.

That was were Scott found him, his head in the fridge and his hands and mouth filled with snacks. Scott then swept around the rest of the house, finding each brother in their own little cocoon of isolation. Frowning, he made his way to the rooftop where John was facing out to sea, his head thrown back to let his face drink the heat of the sun. Scott realised he had never considered the simple things that John was missing. Space had always been intriguing to him, sure, but it wasn't home.

He sank down beside his younger brother and was welcomed by his usual shy smile. A night's sleep at home seems to have cured him, Scott thought. Of course a guy was going to have a few funny spells after living apart from humanity for weeks on end. Looking over at John, his blue eyes straining at the light from the waves and his pale skin almost translucent, Scott made a mental note to shorten his shifts up on 5. Yet, nothing but calm radiated from him. Even when Scott had spent time in the Air Force, he had met no one more mentally lucid than John. He could make everything seem so coherent, no problem was too complicated for John to unfurl and smooth out.

The John that Virgil had carried into 2 the day before was not a John that Scott had seen for a very, very long time. Rambling and writhing out from his brother's grip, the wild, desperate look in his eyes had been frightening,_ "Come back, Tina, come back, Tina, Tina, Tina..."_

What if there was some truth in what Virgil and Gordon were saying? Scott furrowed his brow.

How could there be.

"Something on your mind?"

John's gentle voice brought him out of his thoughts. Scott _shook_ his head.

"Nah, Johnny. It's just the others have been moping around all morning. It's not like them at all, is it? Certainly not with you home, they're usually climbing all over you."

John grinned, "can't complain about that. Maybe they're tired, it was quite a technical rescue yesterday."

"Even more reason for Gordon to be regaling us with the details. He hasn't made a peep all morning." Scott suddenly turned serious. "How are you, John? You gave us all a scare yesterday."

John looked at his shoes, the anxious look that contorted his features nearly made Scott regret asking.

"I'm fine now. I don't know what came over me. It - um - it must have just been the smoke." He looked at Scott, tried to smile reassuringly.

"Yeah, Johnny, the smoke."

John sighed, looked out to sea again. Scott didn't believe him, but what else was there to believe?

Just as John opened his mouth to say something else, their father's voice called from below them.

"Boys? Are you two up there? Come down for a minute. I need to talk to all of you."

John looked inquisitively at Scott who shook his head. He didn't know either. As they made their way to the office they met Gordon who was sleepily plodding out of his room in his pyjamas.

"Can't wait for this little conference to go down," he said, sarcasm dripping, "I bet it'll end with at least one of us with a boot in our ass. I nominate you, Scott."

"No thanks, Gords. Do you think he's mad about something?"

"Not mad, but it's about something."

"Informative."

Alan and Virgil were already in the office, perched stiffly on the sofa in front of the senior Tracy's desk. The man himself was sat in his chair, hands linked firmly across his middle, chin raised to survey his entire brood.

"Have a seat, boys."

This was definitely about something.

Jeff took a deep, exasperated breath and rolled his eyes up to the heavens. Scott could feel Alan begin to tense with nervous giggles and gave him a subtle elbow in the ribs.

"Can one of you, boys," he began, "tell me what on earth is the matter with the pack of you?"

Tense silence ensued.

"Ok. Virgil, care to enlighten me?"

"What about, dad? I think we're all fine! Well, sort of..." Scott rolled his eyes. Virgil couldn't lie and their dad knew it.

"Yes, Virgil. Sort of." Their dad was clearly worried but Scott could detect a hint of amusement.

"Now boys, I've known you all since you were born, and this is extremely strange behaviour from all of you. All of you at once. As your father, and also as chief of International Rescue, I need to know what exactly went on yesterday. Because I know that's what the problem is."

Damn, he's too good.

"Well," Gordon began, "what do you think happened yesterday, dad?"

"Don't try that with me. All I want is a straight answer, and then you can continue with your day."

The silence continued.

"No one died yesterday, did they?" Jeff asked.

There was an explosion of protests from Virgil and Gordon. His father distracted, Scott glanced over at John beside him, John held his gaze and gave a stiff shake of his head. A silent request. Scott nodded, it was up to John to decide when to tell. If at all. That was if the others could keep it quiet which was looking very doubtful.

"Alright, alright so no one died."

"That's right." Said Gordon, "although, the beating I got from-"

Gordon cut off with a yelp. Either Alan or Virgil got him just in time.

"What was that, Gordon? Someone was attacking you?" Their father's eyes were wide.

"No, no, no dad. His equipment was faulty, Brains is looking into it right now!"

"Yep, that's right. You know me. Always joking around!" Gordon sounded winded.

"Who would attack us, dad? Gordon just had a bad fall!"

"Alan, you weren't there, his equipment was faulty."

Scott grimaced, this was pitiful.

"Scott and John. You two are very quiet. Anything you'd like to share?" Their dad turned to them with his eyebrows raised.

"No, sir," Scott tried to keep his voice as steady as he could. "I thought it went successfully yesterday."

John stifled a yawn.

"Well John, I would be tired too if I was making mystery phone calls to England at midnight."

John froze, he gave a nervous bark of a laugh, "I was just phoning Lady P, haven't seen her in a while."

Virgil leaned forward in his seat. "What was she saying?"

"Ooooh watch out, Johnny! Someone's jealous!"

"I am not, I was just interested to know-"

"Boys! Boys! Please!" Jeff shook his head. "I've never known you all to be so difficult, it's like getting blood from a stone today!"

From where he was, Scott could feel Alan fidgeting in his seat. That was never a good sign.

"Alan? Do you know anything? Your older brothers seem to all be hiding something."

"Well..." he began.

"Yes, Alan?"

"Alan, don't you dare." Scott murmured under his breath, he could hear his threat being echoed by his brothers, but they knew as well as he did that Alan was ready to burst.

"They think John saw Tina!"

Scott let his head fall backwards in defeat. Alan could hide nothing from their father.

Jeff's face was unreadable. The silence could be cut with a knife.

"Great job, kiddo." Gordon muttered. Virgil brought up his hand to shield his eyes, his face reddening.

Their father seemed to age before them. The stern look on his face was replaced with one of deep sadness, directed at John.

"It was probably just the smoke." John whispered, stricken.

The phone began to ring, making them all jolt.

"It's Lady P, I should get it," Virgil said, his voice tight.

Jeff put his hand down, blocking Virgil's outstretched arm

"Not now, Brains will get it. It won't be important."

Scott didn't know whether to put his arm around John, his dad, answer the phone or punch Alan.

"I saw her too."

Gordon, no.

Jeff span slowly to him, incredulous.

"She was the one who hit me, dad. She was real, I don't know how but I just know it was her. I saw her run off after being with John." Gordon had the excited, rambling tone he took when he was sure of something.

Their father's face had turned to steel but the raw emotion was visible beneath the control.

"Gordon, this is nothing to joke about and you know it."

"I'm serious! I am! I've never been as sure about something in my life! Virgil, you believe me, right?"

Virgil sighed, "I suppose I do. Don't know why, but I just do."

John had began to tremble beside Scott, but he had the tiniest of smiles quirking his mouth.

The phone still rang, shrill and insistent.

"Kyrano! Brains! Could one of you please get that?" Jeff's voice had an audible crack. The phone stopped ringing as Brains picked up from his office. Jeff turned back round to his sons.

"Scott? What do have to say about this?"

Scott faltered, his father was pleading with him to talk sense like he always did. Someone always had to. Yet, things just didn't seem sensible.

"Dad, I- " he stopped, Brains had appeared ashen faced in the doorway.

"M-Mr Tracy?"

"Please, not now, Brains."

"B-b-but, Mr Tracy-"

"What?" Jeff snapped.

Brains, startled. "It's Lady P-P-Penelope on the phone." He took in the row of stricken faced Tracy sons on the sofa, "and you aren't going to believe who she has with her."


	10. Chapter 10

Lady Penelope ended the call and couldn't help giving a wistful smile. She remembered the morning after the Tracys had lost their daughter as vividly as if it were yesterday. Her mother and Lucille had been best friends and as soon as the hysteric phone call came through to England, she had sped off to the island, leaving a young Penelope wishing she could do something to help. When her mother had returned, weary and heartbroken for her friend, she had held her bewildered daughter and said there was nothing more to be done, it just couldn't be helped.

How strangely things could transpire.

Parker kept his eyes on the road, his mind was boggled and his mouth agape. He had been highly skeptical and more than a little irked at the late night escapade around London for what he saw as a request from a boy who's brains had obviously been left in space. He was aware that there had been a daughter, but his understanding was that she was well and truly dead. For a top astronomer to ask him to search out a petty criminal in the middle of the night as she could be his long dead sister was a very far fetched notion indeed. He knew there was a young thief known as "The Shadow." What about it. He had known Harvey who had taken her on and yes, he knew where they had lived. John's voice had got quieter and more uncertain as the call went on. Parker kept responding politely without too much encouragement in the vain hope that John would regain his sanity and let him go back to bed. When Lady Penelope appeared in her dressing gown and asked who was calling so late he had internally groaned and told her.

A few hours later, Parker had thrust the terrified girl into the back seat and there had been no doubt that it was Valentina Tracy. He was too old for this sort of nonsense.

Daylight was breaking over the English countryside as they sped along in the pink Rolls Royce, but Tina's tense form had softened into sleep. Penelope couldn't blame her. Poor thing. Slowly, she reached over to stroke away the hair from Tina's face and winced at the sight of the gash on her cheek.

She remembered the first time Tina had been placed in her arms as a newborn baby. Lucille had cupped the back of her delicate head and John's finger had been in his sister's tiny clutches.

"Isn't she cute, Penny?" John had asked.

She had agreed.

What an ordeal she must have been through since then, Penelope thought. Tina had initially been in a blind panic and could do nothing but cower in the backseat beside her. With gentleness and soothing words, Penelope had calmed her enough to put her arm around her. In time, her breathing lost the raggedness and became deep and even. Eventually, she had allowed Lady Penelope to hush her into a much needed sleep.

"I'll phone ahead and ask for a room to be made ready, Parker."

"Ask them to make sure the silver cabinet is well locked."

"None of that now, Parker."

"Sorry, m'lady."

X

Tina roused, shaken softly awake by the woman beside her. When she turned to look she was slightly dazzled by the vision of pristine pink that had held her so tightly. Suddenly feeling aware of her own dishevelment, she offered an embarrassed smile that was warmly returned.

"Come along, darling, let's get you inside."

Tina shuffled awkwardly after her, nodding awkwardly in greeting at Parker who was still staring incredulously. Listening to the calm authority in Lady Penelope's voice and following her brisk strides in heels that Tina could not imagine were made for wearing, she suddenly understood what was meant by "ladies." Tina had always associated this with wads of cash in safes and valuables hanging from ears and around necks, but now she was realising it was something nuanced and practised, maybe even achievable. Tina felt her eyes involuntarily widen as she took in the sheer breadth of the mansion. Who needed a house so big? Stepping into it was otherworldly. Who was able to paint a ceiling so high? Who changes the bulbs on the chandeliers? How much is that thing worth and what even is it?

Tina reached out to examine something gold and shiny when her hand was given a sharp slap.

"Keep your mitts h'off that! Everything 'ere is listed I'll 'ave you know! I know your type h'all too well!"

"Parker, that is enough! Miss Tracey is our guest and I really thought you would be more considerate given the circumstances."

Miss Tracey. That sounded nice. Even so, Tina felt a little stung, and it was not the slap. Was Parker voicing what Lady Penelope was too polite to say? That she couldn't be trusted not to fill her pockets? The wonder of the room seemed to dissipate with a flush of red hot embarrassment. Maybe Tina had stolen from one of Lady Penelope's friends, maybe Lady Penelope knew that.

Parker skulked off, looking as wounded as Tina felt. She felt a slender arm slide round her shoulders.

"Pay absolutely no attention to him, you are so much more welcome than anyone else I've had here for a very long time."She gave a wry smile, "and you wouldn't believe some of the characters we've had. Parker's had many sleepless nights knowing he was under the same roof!" She gave an airy laugh which then changed to concern.

"You must be dying to see your father and brothers again! They're certainly bursting to see you! And you know, despite how, well... unbelievable it all is, it wasn't the least bit hard to convince them that I really do have you!"

Tina felt a little faint, she gripped the mahogany dresser behind her.

"Yes, you're quite right. I think you've had enough excitement on an empty stomach. They won't be here for another few hours, I'm sure. Let's get you ready."

X

Tina had never been so glad to see food in her life. After her second plate, Lady P's encouraging nod told her that refinement was not necessary. So she took a third.

The shower smarted her cuts but she almost didn't notice over the sheer joy of being clean and free of smoke and dried blood. When she got out, her clothes had disappeared and the smile on Lady P's face suggested she would never see them again. Tina grinned right back.

Most alternatives were slightly too dazzlingly pink, but with extensive searching, a suitable pair of jeans and a sweater were unearthed.

Feeling like a new person, Tina allowed Penelope to clean up her wounds.

"Paper stitches will do for now but I do think that you will need the real thing," examining her work she added teasingly, "you look much less frightening now, although, you may be left with a couple of very nice scars, a story for dinner parties I think."

Tina giggled, although, the nerves were creeping steadily onto her. Looking at Lady Penelope, she was much younger than she had seemed the night before, maybe around the same age as her brothers.

"Have you known my brothers long?"

"All my life. I see them often but not enough, the island is terribly far away. We had great fun together growing up. Don't you remember me even a little bit?"

She nodded. She could remember a fair skinned little girl who had enjoyed playing with Tina's hair and practising makeup as much as tumbling around with the older boys.

"What are they like?" Tina asked.

Penelope looked at her with a smile tinged with sadness. "They're just wonderful, darling, the most lovely boys. It is unbelievably cruel that you had to separated for so long. They never quite recovered after you disappeared, you know, especially John. He blamed himself terribly."

Tina's heart lurched, "but I was lost for years. I was so little, how did they not forget about me?"

"You're their sister, Tina." Penelope gripped her hand hard, "you were the most precious thing in the world to them and you could never be replaced. Your brothers and father console themselves by saving lives and operating these fantastic machines, but when all the chaos is over and the noise dies down, the same thoughts always come creeping back to them. They still think about how they couldn't save you."

Tina was wrestling with her emotions. She was not one to cry often, yet that is what she had spent an inordinate amount of time doing in the past few days. She was transfixed by the strained tremor in Penelope's cool voice, the glistening of her direct look. She drank her words in like honey and they sweetened a part of her that had whispered that she had been born unwanted and unloved.

Memories were returning in a steady flow, like they were waiting in an orderly line to be pored over and savoured one by one. Alan racing her to dinner, Virgil lifting her to his shoulders, her father pressing a kiss to her forehead and the quiet, comforting omnipresence of John. They seemed mundane, but to Tina, each one blossomed in her heart and filled it ever nearer to the brim. Sitting on Scott's lap, laughing at Gordon, her mother singing her to sleep...

Penelope's gentle hands suddenly stilled on her cuts, when Tina brought her eyes to her face it was beaming at the doorway behind her. Tina slowly turned and was met by the sight of John, staring back.

She couldn't remember crossing the floor, she could only remember the feeling of his arms enveloping her in a crushing embrace, his tears wetting her cheeks. She felt her legs buckle as she collapsed on the floor, pulling him with her as they grasped each other close, fearful of letting go. The Silver Boy that had existed as a cruel mirage was as real and as human as she had only known herself to be. As she wept against his shoulder she felt a tentative hand on the back of her head. Through tear bleary eyes she could make out the face of her father. He was almost timid in prising her from John and wrapping his arms around her, shuddering with sobs.

As she raised her head she could make out four other forms, huddled together and shell shocked. Virgil had his knuckles pressed firmly to his mouth, he and Scott could only stare. Scott's arms were around Alan whose mouth was only closed when sniffing, and Gordon who was laughing softly with tears pouring down his face.

As Tina passed wordlessly from brother to brother to father to brother, her cheeks and shoulders dampening, she felt the love she had been missing. She felt it in each warm chest she was held against, from every kiss lost in her hair, from every tearful gaze that searched her face. At the end of it all, there was John, an unusual combination of disbelief and certainty, of tears and euphoria, of strangeness and familiarity. Her eyes caught his and he nodded and smiled.

Tina had made it home.


End file.
